Finland, an education superpower, has a lot to teach U.S. schools

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Finland Knows What’s Best

Finland? Yes, Finland.

Finland has consistently scored among the highest nations in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a standardized test given every three years by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development that measures student achievement across the globe. Another remarkable fact about Finland’s education system is that students are only required to take one test during their entire time as students.

Finland’s academic success has drawn a great amount of attention, leaving many countries wondering if it’s the Nordic country’s teaching methods or if there’s magic water in their fjord. Here are 10 things that set Finland apart from the rest of the world in education.

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School Starts Later

Children in Finland don’t begin school until age seven. That isn’t to say they aren’t being educated earlier in life. Finland heavily subsidizes daycare for children, and 97 percent of Finnish children attend preschool, which starts at age five, and emphasizes playing and socializing.

(Photo: Gordana Admamovi Mladenovic/Getty Images)

More Recess

In the United States, our imaginative learners get little playtime, averaging 27 minutes of recess a day. Finnish children get 75 minutes of recess a day, receiving a 15-minute break after every lesson. Outdoor physical activity is highly encouraged and some lessons are taught outside—even in winter!

(Photo: Peter Cade/Getty Images)

No Testing

There are few, if any, mandatory tests in Finland until a single exam at the end of high school. There’s also little homework. Why you ask? Finnish school principal and former teacher Kari Louhivuori told Smithsonian “It’s nonsense. We know much more about the children than these tests can tell us.”

(Photo: Derek P. Redfearn/Getty Images)

Extra Teachers for Struggling Students

The average class size in Finland is 20 students. There is no tracking or separation of students based on ability. They are all taught in the same class. To ensure that children with learning or behavior disabilities, or immigrants struggling to learn Finnish, don’t fall behind, schools hire teaching aides who undergo an extra year of education to supplement teachers’ efforts.

(Photo: Erik Isakson/Getty Images)

More Languages

Finnish language education begins on the first day of school. By age nine, students begin Swedish (Finland’s second official language), and at 11, they start learning a third language, usually English. Many students even take on a fourth language around age 13. Students are tested on their first two languages in a matriculation exam for university placement.

(Photo: Sodapix Sodapix/Getty Images)

Instruction Guidelines, Not Prescriptions

Teachers are given guidelines for what they have to teach, but they are not given prescriptions for how to teach it. This allows the highly trained teachers to develop a curriculum geared toward teaching their unique group of students. For instance, Timo Heikkinen, principal of the Kallahti school, implemented a new environmental science program that revolves around the forest next to the school.

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Less Teaching

A teacher in Finland might only teach for four hours of the school day, spending at least two hours on building curriculums and assessing student progress. (This is compared to at least five hours of instruction in a U.S. school.) With fewer teaching hours, students are not overwhelmed with class, and teachers are not struggling to prepare.

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Professional Teacher

You need more than a bachelor’s degree and a teacher certification in Finland—you must have a master’s degree. Teachers can get their master’s degree at one of eight national colleges, the cost of which is completely subsidized by the government. Competition for these spots is fierce: Applicants must be in the top 10 percent of their college classes. In 2010 6,600 applicants applied for 600 slots.

(Photo: Hans Neleman/Getty Images)

Teachers Stick with Students

In the United States, students usually get a new teacher every year. In Finland, a teacher likely sticks with the same group of students for five years. By doing this not only do teachers have a better chance to form relationships with their students, but they also have a better opportunity to get to know students as learners.

(Photo: Ryan McVay/Getty Images)

43 Percent Attend Vocational School

At the age of 16, students can decide if they want to attend the Finnish equivalent of high school to prepare them for university or enter vocational training. Students who attend vocational school can attend a university provided they score high enough on the matriculation exam.

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